Craftizen Foundation

Craftizen's Kalashala is an innovative "Finishing School for Artisans," offering a tailored curriculum to practising craftspeople. This initiative empowers artisans to promote their craft, ensuring sustainable income. The interactive learning approach covers business skills, production planning, quality control, marketing, storytelling, and design thinking. Seed-funded by Harvard University and Tata Trusts, Kalashala now integrates with Craftizen's Patron Programme, benefiting unskilled individuals by imparting essential skills.

Craftizen is bridging the gap between artisans and consumers by revitalizing handicraft designs through customized merchandise. In response to urbanization-induced disconnection, Craftizen enhances craft products' functionality and opens new marketing avenues. Turnkey projects for customized design development cater to various client themes, including corporations, Government bodies, educational institutions, and foundations. The organisation ensures fair pricing and artisans' access to working capital, benefiting over 200 traditional artisans across 8 states through design support and marketing assistance.

Craftizen engages with corporations through selected events, including workshops held during family, annual, and experience days. These interactive sessions provide hands-on exposure to arts and crafts for participants of all ages, fostering engagement with activities such as flower and bottle sand art, origami, jewellery making, quilling, and more. Additionally, Craft Melas are organised to directly market artisans' creations, raising awareness of India's rich crafts heritage. With a network of artisans and craft groups across the country, Craftizen tailors events to client preferences. These initiatives have been successfully conducted in cities like Bangalore, Delhi, and Hyderabad, with clients including prominent names like Accenture, HSBC, SAP Labs, and Volvo.

Craftizen's flagship 'Patron' programme revives the tradition of patronage, nurturing craft-based livelihoods. This multi-faceted initiative revives corporate patronage for Indian crafts, impacting over 1,200 beneficiaries in Bangalore, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Collaborating with entities like Accenture India, Deloitte India, and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL), the programme ensures structured CSR with tangible social impact. It empowers NGOs and artisan groups by providing market-driven projects, capacity building, skill training, design support, and marketing assistance. This transformative approach also engages donor employees in volunteering and consulting. Ongoing projects encompass "Green Skilling" in Bangalore, "Skill and Craft for Women’s Empowerment" in Kolkata, and the "Swayam Shakthi Project" in Hyderabad, fostering partnerships with corporate CSR departments and NGOs committed to livelihoods, women's empowerment, rural development, and disability rehabilitation.